Dubai woman finds living in Mumbai expensive, returns within 15 days after heavy traffic and non-stop honking leave her exhausted

A woman who lives in Dubai has said her short visit to Mumbai left her drained, not because she did not enjoy being home, but because the city's traffic, noise and rising costs wore her out faster than she expected. She was back in Dubai within 15 days.

Farah shared her experience in a video on Instagram, comparing daily life in the two cities. "15 days in Mumbai and now I'm back in Dubai and honestly I was expecting a major culture shock, but Mumbai said, relax, we have upgraded too," she said.

Why did she find Mumbai so expensive

"One major thing which I have observed this time in Mumbai is expensive," Farah said. "Yes, the city has significantly become more expensive than we used to say that Mumbai is affordable. Na na, it's not."


She admitted she could not speak much about rent, saying, "I cannot comment much on rent as I do not pay it in Mumbai." But she pointed to everyday spending instead. "If you're going out, you're spending not less than like 5 to 6,000 rupees, which initially was a bit less. Everything else has become more expensive," she said.

She also brought up salaries, saying she did not feel they had grown at the same pace back home. "So if in case, if you are in Dubai with a better salary package, stick to it," she said.

Why did she leave so soon

Traffic was the other reason Farah gave for how quickly Mumbai wore her out. "Dubai traffic is wherein cars move, people wait, nobody needs to audition for like Fast and Furious," she said. "Whereas Mumbai traffic, one signal, 47 cars, and somehow everyone has a horn with a personal agenda."

She summed up the contrast in one line, saying, "Dubai gives you silence, but Mumbai gives you background music as well."

By the end of her stay, Farah said she was ready to head back, even as she admitted missing home. "Yes, if you are missing Mumbai, I did miss Mumbai," she said, "but coming back to Dubai and enjoying less honking, smoother roads, and little more financial breathing room, not complaining. And stick to this."

How did users react to her comparison

Farah's video drew a mix of responses in the comments. One user wrote, "Totally agree! So expensive," agreeing with her take on Mumbai's rising costs. Another user offered a different view, commenting, "Roots matter."

Some pointed out that Dubai has its own cost pressures too. One commenter wrote, "Dubai costs also went up," to which Farah replied, "Yes but at the same time u earn well in aed."

Another user questioned her decision more directly, asking, "Did u get living satisfaction in dubai and to satisfy ego u have to come mumbai?" Farah replied with a laughing, "Yes maybe."

A separate comment read, "Now India feels like spending in AED and earning in rupees," and Farah agreed, replying, "So true."

One more user pushed back on the salary point, writing, "Salaries in Mumbai have also increased though, but then we need the standard of living to improvise which has not been done." Farah's response to this one was simply, "I wish."

(Disclaimer: This article is based on a viral social media post and online reactions. The Economic Times cannot independently verify the authenticity of the content and does not claim or endorse it.)​​